When you’ve been watching a stock for years and finally pick a trade that works right away, hitting your price target, FOMO can creep in and whisper, “Look how strong this thing is! You can’t sell it—it’s going to the moon.”
In my earlier days, I would hold on, refusing to take profits. At first, everything would seem fine. But eventually, the stock would reverse. It might dip back to my original profit target. As a newbie, I’d add more at that level. A slightly more experienced version of me would just watch as the stock kept sliding. Before long, it would reach the price where my winning trade had started. And then? I’d sell the “used-to-be-winner” at a loss. OUCH!!!
If this sounds familiar, there’s one reason: you haven’t yet learned enough to earn. Simple as that. In trading and investing, the gap between 'what you know' and "consistently rising yield curve' can take years—or even decades—to close. For those without knowledge, it might take a lifetime.
Wall Street is littered with the remains of investors who thought they were geniuses just because they “made” money in the market. In reality, they bought a stock at the right time, rode the wave of a strong market, and mistook luck for skill. When the tide turned, they lost it all—sometimes even more than they had to begin with. This cycle is as old as Wall Street itself. Why? Because, as they say, “There’s nothing new on Wall Street.”
The point of this story? If you never take profits—or even worse, hang on to losing trades—you’re playing a dangerous game called gambling.
This trade is a perfect reminder. Imagine making 25 points or over 10% on a stock in about a month. Two months later, the stock revisits the same level. Now, instead of feeling regret for taking profits, you feel confident. You understand what it takes to win.
Because the goal isn’t just to trade. The goal is to win.
OnlyTrade2Win!